The Dark
by Spokensilenc3
Summary: Max wakes up in a world that is vastly different from the one she lived in and loved. Only a small group of people remain, including The Flock, but can they rebuild a world burnt and broken, all the while healing themselves? And no, this isn't the Zombie Apocalypse. Fax. AH


**Hi. So I'm starting a new one. Yipee. It's obviously called The Dark. **

**PART ONE - THE PAINFUL LIGHT **

I am writing this down so someone knows. I am only fifteen years old; but I know my death isn't far away. I don't want to be the invisible woman, the woman who never existed. I want someone to know. That's why I write this.

First of all; like I said, I'm fifteen years old. I'm pretty tall for my age. My hair was cut near the middle of my back and it was a light golden brown, sun-streaked with dirty blonde. Some said my eyes were my most beautiful aspect- others would argue, say would have to be my clear, pale skin. Both of which are not the same as they were. Anyway- my eyes. They were a startling golden brown, almost amber, and slightly slanted, with long dark eyelashes casting shadows on my high, fine cheekbones when I blinked. Some people also said my hands were most beautiful. They were long, slender and delicately strong- musician's fingers.

I go to a high school on the weekdays; although now I can say I went to a high school on the weekdays. It was a Monday that everyone's life changed, completely and entirely, never to be the same again.

**XXX**

The girl who sat next to me- I can't remember her name anymore- got up suddenly.

"Look," she said, pointing. I had turned, and looked, and saw nothing.

"What-" I began, but stopped short. Suddenly the whole class looking, mesmerized by the scene before them. The teacher stopped talking, chalk dropping from a shocked hand. My own eyes were locked on the window, to a giant tongue of fire leaping out from the sky, magnificent and strangely beautiful, moving as if in slow motion. For a millisecond time stood still, and I stopped breathing. But then there was fire and it was all so hot, too hot, burning my face and arms and hands.

Dimly, I heard screaming, a terrible sound full of pain- but not just pain- something more than pain. This scream meant nothing as insignificant as pain; this scream was agony, tearing at someone's chest and ripping through their throat in a sound of inhuman torture. And just before my brain shut down and everything went dark, I realized that person was me.

**XXX**

Firstly, let me get this straight with you. I had a terrible fear of the dark. Not that 'fear' describes the uncontrollable panic I felt every time the darkness enveloped me. It was irrational and unreasonable- yet I had always had it. So, when I woke up in the dark, not being able to move, with a heavy weight on my chest nearly stopping me from breathing, I naturally went just a little bit insane.

"Holy-" I heard a furious voice start, cut off by a thump.

"She won't stay still!" another voice yelled urgently. I felt hands on me, trying to keep me pinned down, and I struggled hopelessly.

"_Stop- moving-_" I heard a voice grunt in annoyance. Then I felt a flaring pain in my arms and chest, and everything went black for a second time.

When I woke up, I was relieved when I saw bright red against my closed eyelids and felt the sun warming my face, but the weight was still there, pressing down on my chest, joined by a deep ache in my throat. I managed to peel open my eyes and twisted painfully to look around, wincing as pain shot down my back. I was in a large room with around ten beds, eerily quiet with nobody except me and a boy sleeping in a chair next to my bed. As I studied him closer, I noticed his burns and the odd angle he was resting on the chair.

"Munh!" He jerked awake, snapping me from my inspection, and falling out of the wooden chair. His large glasses fell off and he pushed them back up, magnifying his pale blue eyes.

"Oh," he realised I was no longer sleeping. "You're awake." He looked at me strangely, with a mixture of pity and fear, and I didn't know what to make of it. I opened my mouth and tried to speak; tried to ask him what was happening, where was I, what was wrong? But my throat worked and nothing came out of my open mouth. He stared at me, alarmed, and hurried out of the door.

"I'll go get the Doc," he threw over his shoulder as he left. But he couldn't have walked off any faster.

The 'Doc' arrived a few minutes later. She was a tired looking woman, around thirty, with pale skin and black hair and dark rings under her eyes. She hurried to my side, and helped me sit up. She asked me how I felt, but my tongue felt like ash and my mouth gave off an overwhelming pain every time I moved it slightly, so I stayed silent.

The doctor, realising my problem, reached into her bag and produced a large water bottle. The water was warm and salty, disgustingly so, nothing like the ice cold, crystal clear stuff I used to get at my own house, but still I choked it down, and still the bitter taste in my mouth remained.

"Open up," Doc ordered. She peered into my mouth for a while, then nodded once. "It's not that severe, but you'll have to manage without speaking for a while. Your mouth is burnt a little, you see." She spoke with a British accent, and was sweating lightly, beads of the liquid dotting her upper lip. I gave a tight nod, clenching my jaw at the inability to say anything. I wanted to ask her so many things. Where was I? Who was she? What happened to my parents? Why was I burnt? Where _is_ everybody? But my mouth seared with pain and I choked back my questions.

"Stay there- I'll be back soon. I'm just going to get some of my equipment." She said, wiping her forehead tiredly. I nodded again, feeling like a bobble-head.

She left the room with a last glance at my still form.

But as soon as I heard her soft footsteps receding down the hallway, I gingerly stood up.

'Doc' was obviously crazy if she thought I was just going to sit there. I was going to find answers.

**Ok, so that's the start of my new fanfic. Don't worry though- A Reason to Live is still my main story! I'll just be updating is one when I get inspiration. Review please! And if you have any questions, feel free to ask me. **

**Spoken**


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